Spa system with flow control feature

• US 20080168599A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Cole, Eric S., Caudill, Dirk A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,104,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/541.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0037 Arrangement for cleaning the fluid during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/50 Control means thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/0087 Therapeutic baths with agitated or circulated water
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/60 Components specifically designed for the therapeutic baths of groups A61H33/00 plumbing E03C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6021 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6063 Specifically adapted for fitting in bathtub walls
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/6068 Outlet from the bath
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine

Abstract

A water circulating system, such as a spa system, is disclosed having a flow control feature. In one embodiment, the spa system includes a tub, a pump assembly and a controller. The pump assembly includes a BLDC motor and circulates water from the tub'"'"'s outlet port to its inlet port. The controller sets the speed of the BLDC motor to any speed within the speed range of the BLDC motor in response to a user input to adjust the flow rate of the water to the inlet port of the tub. The spa system may also produce at least one jetting mode in response to a user input. The jetting mode may be a pulse mode, a sinusoidal mode, a ramp mode, or a saw-tooth mode. In another spa system, a first pump operates at a first speed to heat the circulating water when a heater is activated, and at a second speed when the heater is not activated. In other embodiments, the spa system includes a jetting pump assembly that includes a BLDC motor and a circulating pump assembly that operates at two speeds. In another embodiment, the spa system includes a circulating pump assembly that circulates water from an outlet port to an inlet port during standby. Where the circulating pump assembly operates at a first speed when a heater is activated to heat the circulating water, and at a second speed when the heater is not activated.

Claims

1. A spa system comprising:

a tub capable of retaining water, said tub having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port;

a pump assembly to circulate water from said outlet port to said inlet port, said pump assembly including a BLDC motor and a pump, said BLDC motor coupled to and driving said pump;

a controller coupled to said BLDC motor to control the speed of said BLDC motor in response to user input, wherein the speed of said BLDC motor can be set to any speed within the speed range of said BLDC motor to adjust the flow rate of the water discharged from said pump to said tub through said inlet port.

2. A spa system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface control pad coupled to said controller, wherein the user indicates the desired BLDC motor speed by input to said control pad.

3. A spa system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface control pad coupled to said controller, wherein the user indicates the desired strength of water flow through said inlet port by input to said control pad.

4. A spa system of claim 1, wherein said controller further controls said BLDC motor to produce at least one jetting mode in response to a user input, wherein said jetting mode involves circulating water from said outlet port to said inlet port of said tub using varying speeds, frequencies, and/or speed versus time patterns.

5. A spa system of claim 4, wherein the jetting mode is a pulse mode.

6. A spa system of claim 4, wherein the jetting mode is a sinusoidal mode.

7. A spa system of claim 4, wherein the jetting mode is a ramp mode.

8. A spa system of claim 4, wherein the jetting mode is a saw-tooth mode.

9. A spa system of claim 4, wherein a characteristic of said jetting mode can be modified in response to input from a user.

10. A spa system of claim 1, wherein said BLDC motor is a 6 HP motor with a speed range of zero rpm to 4000 rpm.

11. A spa system of claim 1, wherein said controller stores a speed of said BLDC motor in response to user input.

12. A spa system comprising:

a tub capable of retaining water, said tub having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port;

a first pump assembly to circulate water from said outlet port to said inlet port, said first pump assembly including a first BLDC motor and a first pump, said BLDC motor coupled to and driving said first pump;

a filter in fluid communication with said first pump assembly to filter water circulating from said outlet port to said inlet port of said tub;

a heater in fluid communication with said first pump assembly to heat water circulating from said outlet port to said inlet port of said tub;

wherein said first BLDC motor operates at a first speed when said heater is activated to heat the circulating water, wherein said first BLDC motor operates at a second speed when said heater is not activated, and wherein the first speed and the second speed are not equal.

13. A spa system of claim 12 further comprising a controller coupled to said first BLDC motor to control the speed of said first BLDC motor, wherein said first and second speeds can be set to any speed within the speed range of said first BLDC motor to adjust the flow rate of the circulating water.

14. A spa system of claim 12, wherein said first speed is selected to optimize heating the circulating water.

15. A spa system of claim 12, wherein said second speed is selected to optimize filtering the circulating water.

16. A spa system of claim 12, wherein said first speed is between 1200 rpm to 1900 rpm.

17. A spa system of claim 12, wherein said second speed is between 700 rpm to 1100 rpm.

18. A spa system of claim 12 wherein said first pump assembly also operates at a third speed for jetting, wherein said third speed is any speed within the speed range of said first BLDC motor in response to user input.

19. A spa system of claim 12 further comprising a second pump assembly;

wherein said second pump assembly circulates water retained in said tub, said second pump assembly including a second BLDC motor and a second pump, said second BLDC motor coupled to and driving said second pump;

wherein said controller coupled to said second BLDC motor to control the speed of said second BLDC motor in response to user input, wherein the speed of said second BLDC motor can be set to any speed within the speed range of said second BLDC motor to adjust the flow rate of the water from said second pump to said tub.

20. A spa system comprising:

a tub capable of retaining water, said tub having a first outlet port, a second outlet port, a first inlet port, and a second inlet port;

a jetting pump assembly to circulate water from said first outlet port to said first inlet port, said jetting pump assembly including a first BLDC motor and a first pump, said first BLDC motor coupled to and driving said first pump, wherein the speed of said first BLDC motor can be set to any speed within the speed range of said first BLDC motor to adjust the flow rate of the water discharged from said first pump into said tub through said first inlet port according to a user'"'"'s preference;

a circulating pump assembly including a second pump to circulate water from said second outlet port to said second inlet port, wherein said circulating pump assembly operates at a first speed when a heater is activated to heat the water circulating from said second outlet port to said second inlet port, wherein said circulating pump assembly operates at a second speed when the heater is not activated, wherein said first speed and said second speed are not equal.

21. A spa system of claim 20, wherein said circulating pump assembly includes a second BLDC motor.

22. A spa system of claim 20, wherein said first outlet port and said second outlet port is the same port.

23. A spa system of claim 20, wherein said first inlet port and said second inlet port is the same port.

24. A spa system of claim 20, wherein said jetting pump assembly produces at least one jetting mode in response to a user input, wherein said jetting mode involves circulating water from said first outlet port to said first inlet port of said tub using varying speeds, frequencies, and/or speed versus time patterns.

25. A spa system of claim 20, wherein said circulating pump assembly includes an AC induction motor.

26. A spa system comprising:

a tub capable of retaining water, said tub having an outlet port and an inlet port;

a circulating pump assembly to circulate water from said outlet port to said inlet port during standby, wherein said circulating pump assembly includes a pump and a motor, wherein said motor coupled to and driving said pump,

a heater in fluid communication with said circulating pump assembly to heat water circulating from said outlet port to said inlet port of said tub;

wherein said motor of said circulating pump assembly operates at a first speed when said heater is activated to heat the circulating water, wherein said motor of said circulating pump assembly operates at a second speed when the heater is not activated, and wherein said first speed and second speed are not equal.

27. A spa system of claim 26, wherein said motor is a BLDC motor.

28. A spa system of claim 26, wherein said motor is an AC induction motor.

29. A spa system of claim 26 further including a jetting pump assembly, wherein said jetting pump assembly includes a jetting pump coupled to a jetting motor, wherein the speed of said jetting motor can be set to any speed within the speed range of said jetting motor to adjust the flow rate of water discharged from said jetting pump assembly into said tub according to a user'"'"'s preference.

30. A spa system comprising:

a tub configured to retain water, said tub having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port;

a pump assembly to circulate water from said outlet port to said inlet port, said pump assembly including a BLDC motor and a pump, said BLDC motor coupled to and driving said pump;

a heater in fluid communication with said pump assembly to heat water circulating from said outlet port to said inlet port of said tub;

wherein said BLDC motor of said pump assembly operates at a first speed, a second speed and a third speed, wherein said first speed can be adjusted to any speed within the speed range of the BLDC motor to adjust the flow rate of the water discharged from said pump assembly to said tube through said inlet port, wherein said second speed is the speed of said BLDC when said heater is activated to heat the circulating water, wherein said third speed is the speed of said BLDC motor when said heater is not activated, and wherein said second speed and the third speed are not equal.

31. A spa system of claim 30, wherein said third speed is less than said second speed.

32. A spa system of claim 30, wherein said first speed is adjusted in response to a user input.

33. A spa system of claim 30 further including a controller coupled to said BLDC motor, wherein said controller controls the first, second and third speeds of said BLDC motor.

34. A spa system of claim 33, wherein said controller includes a microprocessor.